Electrical motors are used in a wide variety of applications, such as naval vessels, aircrafts, washing machines, pumps, compressors, and hybrid vehicles. Advanced induction motors, permanent magnet motors, and high temperature superconducting motors are some examples that have been identified to be suitable for propulsion applications. Research has recently focused on permanent magnet motors as a basis for electrical propulsion.
Flux-switching machines belong to the class of doubly-salient permanent magnet (DPSM) machines but have not been traditionally used in the industry. Instead, surface-mounted permanent magnet or interior permanent magnet machines have been used. Existing flux-switching machines show some disadvantages, including relatively low torque density compared to other permanent magnet machines.